United Way Emerald Coast
United Way Emerald Coast is a local volunteer-based organization based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Its mission is to unite people with resources to improve quality of life in Okaloosa and Walton counties. It supports local nonprofit programs through community investment grants and also convenes organizations, volunteers, and other community partners.
United Way Emerald Coast at a glance
In short: United Way Emerald Coast gave $422K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in Florida. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $422,478
- +18.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,124
- +18.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,257
- Total assets
- $1,784,994
- +7.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (4 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to United Way Emerald Coast
- Contact
Mailing address: 112 Tupelo Avenue, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548
Phone: (850) 243-0315
Website: https://united-way.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way Emerald Coast funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Matrix Community Outreach Center ($44K). Together the top 10 received $284K.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 100 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization states that its mission and community investment work serve Okaloosa and Walton counties. In 2025, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Florida and 4% to recipients in Alabama.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is United Way Emerald Coast open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 20 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−7%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $290K (2021) to $453K (2022). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $422K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Matrix Community Outreach Center Defuniak Springs, FL | General Support | $43,681 |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eemerald Coast Inc Fort Walton Beach, FL | General Support | $35,705 |
| Westerwood Ranch Freeport, FL | General Support | $32,103 |
| A Bed 4 ME Foundation Valparaiso, FL | General Support | $30,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity - Walton Santa Rosa Beach, FL | General Support | $30,000 |
| Early Learning Coalition of the Emerald Coast Shalimar, FL | General Support | $26,956 |
| Crossroads Center Inc Valparaiso, FL | General Support | $22,603 |
| Freedom Life Compass Valparaiso, FL | General Support | $21,500 |
| Okaloosa County Council on Aging Inc Fort Walton Beach, FL | General Support | $21,288 |
| Emerald Coast Children's Advocacy Niceville, FL | General Support | $20,514 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way Emerald Coast?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The organization says it undergoes an annual independent CPA audit and files a Form 990; it also says its Finance Committee reviews the audit report and Form 990 and the board approves them.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,784,994 | $1,417,170 | $1,520,023 | $422,478 | 20 | $10,829 |
| 2024 | $1,654,098 | $1,293,449 | $1,271,278 | $356,764 | 20 | $7,182 |
| 2023 | $1,697,049 | $1,465,120 | $1,415,612 | $382,504 | 24 | $2,889 |
| 2022 | $1,553,672 | $1,184,626 | $1,112,631 | $452,637 | 24 | $3,515 |
| 2021 | $1,610,625 | $1,180,566 | $1,203,290 | $290,000 | 12 | $474 |
| 2020 | $1,490,863 | $1,370,413 | $1,155,543 | $386,619 | 15 | $5,471 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to unite people with resources to improve quality of life in Okaloosa and Walton counties. Its 2024 filing describes a community investment process that distributes undesignated donor contributions to nonprofits serving those counties in health, education, and economic mobility. The filing says funded services included hunger relief, medical care, high-quality childcare and learning, and emergency shelter or housing support.
Examples of 2025 grantees illustrate the range of supported services. A Bed 4 Me Foundation says its mission is to provide new bedding to children without beds and to displaced families starting over after domestic issues. Crossroads Center says it provides a free medical clinic for uninsured, low-income Okaloosa County residents. Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless describes its goal as meeting the needs of people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness and supporting a path to self-sufficiency. Lakeview Center describes its services as behavioral health, substance-use, and child protective services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, United Way Emerald Coast reported 20 grants totaling $422,478. Grants ranged from $5,651 to $43,681, with a median of $20,257. The listed grants were reported as general support.
Among the largest 2025 grants were Matrix Community Outreach Center ($43,681), Boys and Girls Clubs of the Emerald Coast ($35,705), Westerwood Ranch ($32,103), A Bed 4 Me Foundation ($30,000), and Habitat for Humanity – Walton ($30,000). Other notable awards included Early Learning Coalition of the Emerald Coast ($26,956), Crossroads Center ($22,603), Freedom Life Compass ($21,500), Okaloosa County Council on Aging ($21,288), Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy ($20,514), Crestview Area Shelter for the Homeless ($20,000), and Lakeview Center ($19,066). Feeding the Gulf Coast received $17,645; its stated mission is food distribution to people experiencing hunger across counties in Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.
The 2024 filing says agencies apply annually, provide their Form 990 for review, and make an oral presentation to a committee about how they used funds from the previous campaign and their intentions for the next campaign. Trained volunteers review applications and recommend funding levels to the board, which approves awards. The organization’s website says nonprofits must become certified Partner Agencies to be eligible to apply for grant funding; certification is free. No deadline is stated.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Matthew Zasada as chair, Sheila Fitzgerald as vice chair, Jessica Leavins as secretary, Susan Rimsa as treasurer, and Thomas Everidge as immediate past chair. It also lists Joseph Gordon, Kim Cox, Robin Shaw, Chris Hiestand, and Liz Eulberg as board members.
United Way Emerald Coast is led by Kelly Jasen, President & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 19 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kelly Jasen
President & CEO
President, CEO & Secretary → President & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2020
48 hrs/week
$13K (2020) → $92K (2025)
Matthew Zasada
Chair
Treasurer & Finance Chai → Treasurer & Vice Chair, 2024
Treasurer & Vice Chair → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kim Cox
Board Member
Chair → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Shaw
Board Member
Board Member → Impact Vice Chair, 2024
Impact Vice Chair → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Everidge
Immediate Past Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Immediate Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Johnson
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clint Aden
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hong Potomski
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Leavins
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laurie Guzman
Board Member
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sheila Fitzgerald
Vice Chair
Impact Chair → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Rimsa
Treasurer
Board Member → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Hiestand
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Deitch
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dustin Cosson
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Gordon
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lee Bolton
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Liz Eulberg
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Harris
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (49)
- Former: Alan Gieseman (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Alexis Tibbetts (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Bernard Johnson (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jason Fulghum (2020–2024) — Immediate Past Chair
- Former: Samantha Smith (2022–2024) — Community Impact Chair
- Former: Caroline Burris (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Horton (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Darra Flanagan (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jenni Brunson (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Pamela Clarke (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Caralee Gibson (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Gordon King (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: John Hofstad (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Coupe (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Paul Swan (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Kelly Murphy-Redd (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Kevin Lovelace (2022–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Maureen Bierman (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Stephen Stabler (2022–2023) — Campaign Chair
- Former: Jenni Bolduc (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Pauline Anderson (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Tim Bolduc (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Randy White (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Linnette Wolfgram (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Carol Rogers (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jessica Atkinson (2020–2021) — Advocacy & Public Policy
- Former: Nathan Sparks (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Terri Duplantis (2020–2021) — Past Financial Officer
- Former: Valerie Manley (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Cindy Gates (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Holly Pendarvis (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Justin Myers (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Todd Scali (2021) — Board Member
- Former: Aaron Webber (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Alan Wood (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Athena Riley (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Betty Brassell (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Charlie Keesler (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jacob Foreman (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jeanne Dailey (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Jeff Hooton (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Leonard Coughlin (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Marshall Buscemi (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Matthew Avery (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Melinda Bowers (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Patricia Parker (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Rick Owen (2020) — Past President, CEO & Secretary
- Former: Robert Kirila (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Steve Baxter (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $92K, to Kelly Jasen (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about United Way Emerald Coast
How much does United Way Emerald Coast give each year?
United Way Emerald Coast gave $422K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $357K across 20 grants.
What is United Way Emerald Coast's typical grant size?
United Way Emerald Coast's median grant in 2025 was $20,257, and its average grant was $21,124, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way Emerald Coast that year got $19K on average.
Where does United Way Emerald Coast give grants?
United Way Emerald Coast gives mostly in Florida: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Walton Beach, FL (5 grants), Valparaiso, FL (3 grants), Crestview, FL (2 grants) and Pensacola, FL (2 grants).
Does United Way Emerald Coast give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of United Way Emerald Coast's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are United Way Emerald Coast's largest grantees?
United Way Emerald Coast's largest 2025 grantees include Matrix Community Outreach Center ($43,681), Boys and Girls Clubs of the Eemerald Coast Inc ($35,705) and Westerwood Ranch ($32,103), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is United Way Emerald Coast?
United Way Emerald Coast reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.4M.
What does United Way Emerald Coast fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to unite people with resources to improve quality of life in Okaloosa and Walton counties. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way Emerald Coast?
United Way Emerald Coast has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check united-way.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way Emerald Coast's EIN?
United Way Emerald Coast's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-0972293. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in United Way Emerald Coast's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way Emerald Coast funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-emerald-coast-morg_3b6de6f76bb046418c8cce48c122a729
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_590972293_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way Emerald Coast funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-emerald-coast-morg_3b6de6f76bb046418c8cce48c122a729},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from United Way Emerald Coast's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
United Way Emerald Coast down — hundreds of funders to go?